Ultimate Man [JJK X SOL]: Loading Golden Entries at The Start

Unlike the first generation of Heavenly Restriction users, who had no cursed energy and immense physical strength, Maki the second generation, still had a faint trace of cursed energy within her.

It was this small amount of cursed energy that prevented Maki's true potential from being fully unleashed. After all, she was a twin. Only when her sister Mai, died and took away the remnants of cursed energy from Maki, was her talent as fully awakened. Of course, the reverse could also have been true—if Maki had died, Mai's potential would have been awakened instead.

"What should we do now?"

Even if they guessed that Maki might not currently be in danger, her sudden disappearance wasn't something they could ignore. She needed to be found.

Yuji wasn't exactly the best at formulating plans and typically acted on sheer determination. Unsure of what to do, he turned toward Nobara.

"..."

The look on Nobara's face clearly read: Why are you looking at me like I have all the answers?

Still, she couldn't ignore the fact that she had a good relationship with Maki. There was no way she could just sit around doing nothing.

"Let's look for her together!" Nobara said, standing up decisively.

Yuji quickly followed her lead.

"Should we split up to cover more ground?" he asked.@@novelbin@@

Acting separately might increase their chances of finding Maki sooner.

"I…"

Nobara considered the suggestion. Splitting up did seem more efficient. However, as the sun dipped lower and the forest grew darker, an unsettling atmosphere began to creep in.

"Let's stick together," she said after a moment of thought. Even if it took a bit longer, it was better to prioritize safety.

"Are you scared?" Yuji asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

He wasn't an idiot, he could sense her hesitation. He just didn't expect the usually fearless Nobara to show even a hint of fear.

BAM!

Without bothering to answer, Nobara landed a swift punch on Yuji's head.

"Shut up!" she snapped.

Some things didn't need to be said aloud. Did she, Kugisaki Nobara, have no dignity left?

"Ow, that really hurt!" Yuji groaned, clutching his head as he glared at her with resentment.

"Humph," Nobara snorted, brushing him off as she took the lead.

"Keep up!" she barked over her shoulder.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming!" Yuji sighed, jogging after her.

Unbeknownst to them, Maki had already returned earlier in the day.

"...She's not here?"

Maki had come back after searching for a short while, only to find their campsite deserted. Looking at the empty campfire, she decided to gather some firewood and rekindle the flames before sitting down beside it.

"I wasn't gone for that long," she muttered to herself.

It seemed odd. Had Yuji and Nobara gotten worried when she didn't return and gone out to look for her?

But…

She didn't think she'd been away long enough for them to panic.

Maki didn't dwell on the thought for too long. She simply waited by the fire, expecting them to return. However, as the night wore on, there was still no sign of them.

The flickering light of the fire cast long shadows into the surrounding darkness, and the stillness of the night brought an unfamiliar feeling to Maki's heart—loneliness.

"Am I… afraid of being alone?" she murmured.

The realization made her laugh bitterly at herself.

Ever since she had left the Zenin clan in defiance of their oppressive rules, Maki had been walking her own path, determined to prove to them that even someone with little to no cursed energy could amount to something great.

Fueled by ambition and unyielding perseverance, she had climbed to where she was now.

But even someone like her, who thought she had long grown accustomed to solitude, could still feel the sting of loneliness.

"Forget it," Maki muttered, brushing off the thought.

Standing up, she dusted off her clothes and steeled her resolve.

"Let's go look for them."

She didn't believe that Yuji or Nobara would encounter serious trouble. The area wasn't particularly large, and if anything had gone wrong, she figured she would've heard some sort of commotion.

Still, they had come here together. She couldn't just sit idly by while they were missing.

With that thought in mind, Maki disappeared into the night, weapon in hand.

Meanwhile, Yuji and Nobara continued their search side by side.

"It's gotten dark all of a sudden," Yuji remarked, scanning their surroundings curiously.

"Maybe this area's domain is starting to activate," Nobara joked with a smirk.

Yuji paused, considering her words before nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, that's possible!"

Nobara blinked, momentarily caught off guard. She had only been joking, but Yuji seemed to genuinely believe her.

You actually took me seriously…?

Turning to tease him, she started to speak, but before she could get the words out, her breath caught in her throat.

Yuji's figure was fading.

"What…?"

Nobara blinked, thinking her eyes were playing tricks on her. But when she looked again, Yuji was gone.